Obituaries may describe the individual's religious activities, or at least may give the name of the church where a service was held, wedding announcements may list the name of the church where the wedding took place, and birth announcements may list the place where a christening or baptism took place.

The directories listed below will help you find the current owners of old newspapers from the time and place when the announcement was published. If the individual spoke a foreign language, check to see if there was a newspaper in that language, too. Once you have located the current owners, you can request to search the appropriate copies. The current owners should be able to direct you in your search.

Ayer Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals, available at most community libraries.

Winifred Gregory's American Newspaper, available at community and genealogical libraries.

The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) microfiche. The OCLC has a database of the U.S. Newspaper Program National Union List. You can access the OCLC at most university libraries and some community libraries.

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